Landlord Gas Safety Certificate and Boiler Service
As a landlord, it's your responsibility to make sure that all gas appliances, flues, and chimneys undergo annual inspections. The law also requires that you give a copy of the check to your tenants.
If the engineer considers an appliance or installation as being immediately dangerous they will request permission to cut off the gas supply and suggest that inspection hatches are installed.
What is the definition of a Gas Safety Certificate?
A landlord gas safety certificate is a document that proves that the rented property's gas appliances and flues have been inspected by a certified gas engineer. Landlords are legally obliged to conduct a gas safety inspection annually for each rental property they own. Gas Safe registered engineers carry the inspection and ensure that all pipework, appliances and flues conform with safety standards.
The law also requires landlords to provide tenants with a copy of the CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, (Gas Safety Record) at the time of every annual inspection and test for gas safety. The certificate should be given to current tenants within 28 days of the Gas Safety inspection and given to new tenants at the start of their tenure.
CP12 is an abbreviation for the CORGI Proforma 12 which was used by the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) before being replaced by the Gas Safe Register in 2009. The form includes the date of the most recent gas inspections and tests, the results, any steps that must be taken, as well as the name and title of the engineer who conducted the check.
The engineer will give advice on the spot if the Gas Safety Check reveals any issues with the gas appliance. This will include the items that need to be addressed to make it safe to use. If an appliance is deemed to be immediate danger or abnormally lethal, the gas supply must be shut off until the issue is fixed.
If a tenant refuses to permit access to the gas safety checks to be completed the tenant is guilty of a criminal offence. A landlord may apply to the courts for an injunction order should it be necessary, but it is usually much easier to simply send a well written letter stating the reason why the checks are made and what they'll involve. This will encourage tenants who are hesitant to allow access to the house. If not the landlord has to start the eviction procedure.
How often should I renew my Gas Safety Certificate?
The landlords and letting agencies are required by law to carry out an annual safety check on all flues and gas appliances that they supply to tenants. This is to ensure that the equipment is safe for them to use and that there are no gas leaks in the property. This is a vitally important obligation and landlords must be sure to are inspected for gas by a certified gas engineer.
The Gas Safety Certificate (formerly the Gas Safety Check Record) is legal document that confirms that a gas inspection has been conducted by a qualified engineer within the last 12 months. It is issued to the landlord, and should be provided to the tenant as proof of the security of the gas supply. It is valid for 12 months and has to be renewed every year.
A landlord who does not provide a Gas Safety Certificate for their tenants could be penalized. It is therefore crucial for landlords to ensure that their Gas Safety checks carried out in a timely manner and keep a copy of the certificate in the event that a tenant asks for it.
Installing inspection hatches on all gas appliances is a good idea, as it allows engineers to gain access to the appliances for annual inspections. The engineer will label the appliance as being at-risk and may suggest that tenants refrain from using the boiler until the inspection hatch has been installed.
Landlords must also give tenants at least 24 hours' notice prior to entering the property to conduct Gas Safety Checks. This allows tenants time to prepare and ask permission if they need. If a tenant refuses entry to the engineer the landlord must explain the reason why it is necessary and what will happen in the event that the tenant refuses. If the tenant continues to refuse, then the landlord should think about evicting them under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.
What is the consequence if you don't possess a Gas Safety Certificate?
In short, it's a landlord's legal duty to ensure their property has an approved gas safety certificate before tenants move into the property. In the absence of this, it's an offense that could result in landlords being punished with severe fines. The regulations require that landlords are required to provide copies of gas safety records to their tenants upon request.
Landlords must have an Gas Safe registered engineer visit their rental property to perform a gas check on all gas appliances. During the inspection the engineer will be able to identify any issues that could present a danger for tenants. They will then issue the CP12 gas safety document, which is known as the Landlord Gas Safety Record or a Gas Safety Certificate.
This is an important document that every tenant should keep. It contains information on the gas installations of a rental property as well as information regarding when they last checked and the expiry dates. It will help tenants recognize issues with their appliances or installations and make sure that they know how to contact a Gas Safe Engineer to have them tested.
Landlords are required to provide their tenants, both new and existing, with a gas safety report within 28 days of the date that the engineer visits their property. The landlord is also required to provide a copy of CP12 at the beginning of the tenancy. Landlords who fail in providing the the gas certificate could be prosecuted and could face unlimited fines or even six months in prison.
Similarly, landlords must ensure that their properties are equipped with carbon monoxide alarms and can arrange that they be tested every month. If the alarm is not working, the landlord must repair it. This applies to private landlords, councils and housing associations as well as licensable Houses of Multiple Occupation.
In June 2017 the High Court ruled that it was illegal for landlords to serve Section 21 notices without providing their tenants with a valid gas Safety Certificate. The ruling was based on a law that requires landlords who have assured shorthold leases to obtain a gas safety certification for their property prior to when tenants move in.
How do I obtain a Gas Safety Certificate?
Landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure that the gas appliances, flues and pipework in their homes are safe for tenants. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 regulate this. To comply with the regulations, landlords are required to arrange annual gas checks on all the gas appliances and flues they supply for use in the property. This is referred to as a CP12 gas safety certificate. It must be signed by a certified Gas Safe registered engineer after each inspection.
It's also recommended for landlords to consider having an annual boiler service performed in conjunction with the CP12 inspection, as it will help ensure that all the gas appliances are working properly and safely. Landlords can usually get a combined CP12 and boiler service for an affordable cost from a professional gas engineer who will be able to check the seals on boiler burners, check the flue system for cracks and leaks cleaning the heat exchanger and burner and perform general maintenance.
The CP12 is sometimes known as "landlord's gas safety certificate" but it is actually known as the Gas Safety Record Documentation. It includes the results of the safety checks, as well as details of any problems or actions that should be addressed. Landlords must provide their tenants a CP12 document no later than 28 days after the Gas Safety Check is completed.
It's important that landlords or letting agents only permit Gas Safe registered engineers to enter the premises to conduct safety checks and for maintenance. It's important to educate tenants on the importance of allowing gas engineers access to their property and explain that the engineer's presence is necessary to protect them from carbon dioxide poisoning. If the tenant refuses to permit access, the landlord or agent must explain the legal obligations in writing. They should then visit the property and force entry if necessary.
Tenants must always request to see a Gas Safe ID card from the engineer before they allow them into the home to ensure that they're qualified to work on the gas systems in your home and is able to complete the gas safety check efficiently and efficiently. You should also be aware that a gas technician can legally shut off the malfunctioning equipment or cut off your gas supply should it be required.